Snake encounter of the worst kind!

[puredingo]

Yeah, my little terrier skipped over a big black on Saturday, and then again on her way back. It's amazing at how much it does take for the poor old red belly to strike....

[ribuck]

...It's amazing at how much it does take for the poor old red belly to strike....

That's what struck me as striking when I watched the snake show at La Perouse. Of all the snakes handled in various ways (and even trodden on very lightly), none were interested in biting except one very small and lively brown snake. The tiger snake reared up a little to give a warning. The others (black snake, death adder, carpet python, and the other brown snake) were totally un-bothered.

[jackhinde]

you should start a thread "snake encounter of the best kind" and wax lyrical about the black snake that sniffed my toes that time we were on the banks of Yarrunga Creek...

[Washedover]

Which is why I always wear gaiters! That's the stuff of my nightmares.

[iandsmith]

Gosh, and there I was hoping for a picture or two. Just in case the rest of you are wondering what a snake looks like, here are two examples from Tassie and one from N.S.W. Cheers all

Attachments

Copperhead at Narawntapu

Narawntapu NP - Copperhead eating a toad (11) sp (800x537).jpg (349.14 KiB) Viewed 37335 times

Python near Woolgoolga

Tiger on the South Coast Track (saw three in one outing)

South Coast Track - tiger snake (2) (800x537).jpg (463.87 KiB) Viewed 37335 times

[Adventure Calls]

I had a similar (but not as close) encounter last week. I was hiking the Girraween National Park and was standing on a ridge enjoying the view. I looked down and less than 10cm's from my foot was a big red belly black just sitting there as if he was my best friend standing by my side. I jumped about 10 foot and got the *BEEP* out of there.

[photohiker]

Wild weather was predicted today for Adelaide from midday, so I headed out walking in the hills this morning. It was a bit windy but also bright and sunny. The prediction was accurate, the weather has been wild and wet since noon.

I was walking along a fire trail in the near hills overlooking Adelaide with my head down to the wind and thinking of all the painting I'm up for the next few weeks. No-one at all on the trails today. Keeping a good pace into the wind I suddenly noticed movement about a meter away, I had just disturbed a ~2 meter brown snake! No chance to stop so close with so much momentum so I sprinted past while the snake rapidly headed off the track into the grass. I think the snake was as surprised as I was!

That is the biggest snake I have seen on these trails, and the earliest encounter. The weather has been cool and wet, so I'm surprised I came across a snake so early in the season. Looks like I'll be wearing gaiters on my walks from now on and no more daydreaming!

[MickyB]

That is the biggest snake I have seen on these trails, and the earliest encounter. The weather has been cool and wet, so I'm surprised I came across a snake so early in the season.

I saw a snake downstream from Mason Falls in Kinglake NP about a fornight ago. I was also surprised to see one so early in the season.

[Snowzone]

That is the biggest snake I have seen on these trails, and the earliest encounter. The weather has been cool and wet, so I'm surprised I came across a snake so early in the season.

I saw a snake downstream from Mason Falls in Kinglake NP about a fornight ago. I was also surprised to see one so early in the season.

Same MickyB, Last Sunday downstream of Mason's a nice active Tiger Snake just over a metre in length. Poor guy next to me had a very close view of it when it shot through his legs.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Have seen plenty of Eastern Browns in the Adelaide Hills. Online it says they normally are less than 6', but last spring I saw one well in excess of 6' (I'd say 7'+). Was fat as well. Just in the olive grove on the northwestern face of Brown Hill.

Keep your eyes open!

[photohiker]

Another today. It was sunning in the dry grass next to the track. Heard a rustle and stopped. Then a dark grey snake about 1.5m shot off down the track!

Wearing gaiters every walk now.

[bigkev]

Death Adder- Ormiston

I was doing the circuit up at Ormiston Gorge last summer. Ormiston Creek was in flood so figuring that I'd be doing a fair pack swim I decided to just wear my tevas. This little bloke had decided that the middle of the deserted walking track was a good spot for him. Being a bit of an ambush predator he wasn't going anywhere either, Death Adders tend to hold their ground. I noticed him about a metre before my size twelve's teva's would of landed on him

[puredingo]

Jesus wept!! The old death adder, my worst nightmare. I'm always worried about plonking down on one when buggered and sitting anywhere seems like a good idea.

[awildland]

Snake encounter of the worst kind but with a happy outcome...and good on him for not holding a grudge against the little fella...

http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/ne ... s/3111125/

"WITH the venom of a suspected tiger snake coursing through his veins, Tim Cadman's saving grace came with the sound of rotor blades echoing through the bush, near Ebor. Enduring three hours of excruciating pain, Tim was injected with anti-venom in Lismore and told had it been a brown snake - which has faster acting venom - he could have possibly died. "I owe my life to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, the medical team involved and emergency services,” Tim said in reflecting on the situation on Saturday, October 29. In a major rescue, the incapacitated bushwalker was airlifted from a remote location as a thunderstorm closed in overhead.

"I was gagging and shaking - I started to vague out towards the end,” Tim said.

[highercountry]

Amazing colouration and camouflage of that Death Adder.
I'm aware that snake colour varies from one environment to another but I wonder if this species can rapidly change colour to suit the circumstances?
I know that some frogs can.

[tyggriffic]

A few weeks ago we decided to go for a hike through Dharug NP and camp at Ten Mile Hollow. My partner is rather, ummm, vague, shall we say, and generally fails to notice a big red flag waving in front of his face, so all day long I had been consistently telling him to watch for snakes, to the point it was starting to aggravate him. Coming down the track after the farmhouse, when it gets to the wetter forest section, we had separated either side of the track, taking a wheel line each, when all of a sudden i looked down next to me to see the biggest red bellied black i have ever seen, about 30 cms away from where i was, just casually sunning himself, typically not bothered at all by our presence, despite my sudden cat-like jump up and sideways. I think it's time to listen to mum and get some gaiters.

[puredingo]

With the warm weather upon us I’ve already been seeing quite a few RBBS’ out and about.

Anybody had any nervous sightings from early emerges?

[Baeng72]

With the warm weather upon us I’ve already been seeing quite a few RBBS’ out and about.

Anybody had any nervous sightings from early emerges?

Nearly stepped on a brown snake which was relaxing beside a track in the Plenty Gorge park a week or so back. I didn't know it was there until It flicked it's tail up from the grass near my feet and disappeared a moment later.

[Huntsman247]

Obliviously blundered over a brown three days ago as a friend following behind me tripped in a mighty crash and ended up gazing into the snakes eyes. Dunno who got more scared. Snake went one way, friend went another. Thankfully the snake didn't have a go and it turned out to be a funny experience. But defs could have been an airlift.

[michael_p]

Today I had my second Red Belly Black snake encounter in the last few weeks.

The first encounter a few weeks back wasn't bad. The RBBS just slid across a footpad about 4m in front of me. He spotted me and took off.

Today's encounter was a bit close for my liking. Stepped up onto a rock to get a better view. Looked down and spotted the RBBS sunning itself on the other side of a branch laying on the rock. Not sure who got the bigger fright as it bolted one way and I bolted the other. The worst thing is you become sensitive to even the most minor movement.

[Lophophaps]

If I'd been that close there would have been a movement.

[ribuck]

The worst thing is you become sensitive to even the most minor movement.

...for a day or two until your "snake sensors" re-calibrate to normal!

[MaryLo1987]

This is my biggest fear of meeting a snake. Especially those that are poisonous. But unfortunately, in hikes, snakes are very often encountered on the way

[north-north-west]

Snakes aren't poisonous. They're quite safe to eat, and also quite tasty. The venomous ones are the problem. Fortunately, they are almost always more scared of us than we are of them, and have no reason to bite if allowed to escape.

[Baeng72]

Snakes aren't poisonous. They're quite safe to eat, and also quite tasty. The venomous ones are the problem. Fortunately, they are almost always more scared of us than we are of them, and have no reason to bite if allowed to escape.

I salute your pedantry!

[michael_p]

Don't want to meet one this big: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-06/ ... e/12735784

[Lophophaps]

Michael, with a snake that big there could be a recipe. The problem is deciding if the recipe is for snake or bushwalker.

[ggorgeman]

Noticed a large RBB on the side of the bitumen as I headed from Roses Gap (Grampians) back to the Western Highway last weekend.
....from the comfort of the drivers seat of the car

[peregrinator]

Don't want to meet one this big: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-06/ ... e/12735784

I'm too scared to open the link. It could produce a nightmare of the worst kind.

[puredingo]

What a monster!!! I’d hate hear him making his way in my direction through the Bracken fern.